paused. “I shouldn’t have
kissed you that day. It was inappropriate. I guess, when I came to Stalford, I
was distant because I didn’t want Elizabeth finding out about us. She’s the
jealous type.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. To me, that kiss had been
everything. “Why did you do it? Cheat on her? You shouldn’t have done that.”
“We were broken up at the time. Still, it shouldn’t have
happened.” He paused. “Please take the bracelet.”
“N-Nick. I can’t take this.” I closed the box again and
handed it back to him. “It’s too expensive.”
He didn’t take the box. “You love the bracelet. I saw you
admiring it at the store. When I saw it in the display tonight, I had to get it
for you, before someone else bought it.” He didn’t reach for the box.
I looked away to hide my embarrassment. He had watched me?
“There’s nothing wrong with admiring something you love. Or
owning it. In fact, if you wish for something hard enough, it might just come
to you.”
Those words reached into the depths of my soul and switched
on the light. It was him I wanted more than anything. Maybe he was right; if I
wished long and hard for him to be mine, it could happen someday. For now, he
was giving me something precious, something to remind me of him. I could hang
on to it until my dream came true. If it ever did. “Thank you, Nick.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy it.” He winked.
“I will.” For a moment we gazed into each other’s eyes. We
exchanged no words, and yet volumes passed between us.
“You look beautiful, by the way. Congratulations on being
the face of the line. They couldn’t have picked a more beautiful woman. Enjoy
the party. You deserve it.”
Before I had the chance to say anything, another “thank you,”
perhaps, he rose and walked back up the lawn, hands in his pockets. Probably to
return to his fiancée.
I slid the bracelet into my purse. This was comfort enough.
For now.
Back home, I wore my bracelet to bed. I wanted to keep it on
and never remove it. But how would I explain it to Sam and my colleagues? They
knew as well as I did that I could never afford such an expensive piece of
jewelry. No, I would keep it our little secret. Mine and Nick’s. He cared about
me. Why else would he spend so much money on me?
***
My next days at work were spent waiting for Nick to return.
I didn’t even care that he might show up to buy something for his future wife.
I wanted to see him just one more time, to exchange one more glance. But it
took a whole month before I even heard about him again. It was in a magazine
article that announced his wedding date had been changed, and he would be
getting married earlier than planned. In one week. My heart broke in places I
hadn’t even known existed. I asked for a few days off from work and locked
myself inside my apartment watching tearjerkers, eating popcorn, and stuffing
magazine photos of Nick into a shoebox.
I slid the cool bracelet from my wrist and placed it on top
of his smiling face in the box. He had probably already forgotten about it.
Here I was, thinking he cared. But he’d only bought the bracelet because he had
too much money and felt guilty.
The truth was, and it pained me to admit it, it could never
have worked between us. We were too different. He needed someone beautiful,
glamorous, and rich like him.
Someone without baggage.
A hot tear trickled onto my hand as I placed the lid on the
shoebox and shoved it inside my wardrobe. I’d never buy a magazine again. Or
watch TV. It would be torture to watch him marry Elizabeth—or any other woman.
I wanted to stay inside my apartment and never face the
world again. But I had to continue living, just like I promised Melisa I would
when I left Oasis. It would take a long time, but I’d get over him somehow.
I was now back on my feet. I had a wonderful job and a nice place
to stay. A life. I thanked Nick for that.
***
“I missed you. And not just
kissed you that day. It was inappropriate. I guess, when I came to Stalford, I
was distant because I didn’t want Elizabeth finding out about us. She’s the
jealous type.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. To me, that kiss had been
everything. “Why did you do it? Cheat on her? You shouldn’t have done that.”
“We were broken up at the time. Still, it shouldn’t have
happened.” He paused. “Please take the bracelet.”
“N-Nick. I can’t take this.” I closed the box again and
handed it back to him. “It’s too expensive.”
He didn’t take the box. “You love the bracelet. I saw you
admiring it at the store. When I saw it in the display tonight, I had to get it
for you, before someone else bought it.” He didn’t reach for the box.
I looked away to hide my embarrassment. He had watched me?
“There’s nothing wrong with admiring something you love. Or
owning it. In fact, if you wish for something hard enough, it might just come
to you.”
Those words reached into the depths of my soul and switched
on the light. It was him I wanted more than anything. Maybe he was right; if I
wished long and hard for him to be mine, it could happen someday. For now, he
was giving me something precious, something to remind me of him. I could hang
on to it until my dream came true. If it ever did. “Thank you, Nick.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy it.” He winked.
“I will.” For a moment we gazed into each other’s eyes. We
exchanged no words, and yet volumes passed between us.
“You look beautiful, by the way. Congratulations on being
the face of the line. They couldn’t have picked a more beautiful woman. Enjoy
the party. You deserve it.”
Before I had the chance to say anything, another “thank you,”
perhaps, he rose and walked back up the lawn, hands in his pockets. Probably to
return to his fiancée.
I slid the bracelet into my purse. This was comfort enough.
For now.
Back home, I wore my bracelet to bed. I wanted to keep it on
and never remove it. But how would I explain it to Sam and my colleagues? They
knew as well as I did that I could never afford such an expensive piece of
jewelry. No, I would keep it our little secret. Mine and Nick’s. He cared about
me. Why else would he spend so much money on me?
***
My next days at work were spent waiting for Nick to return.
I didn’t even care that he might show up to buy something for his future wife.
I wanted to see him just one more time, to exchange one more glance. But it
took a whole month before I even heard about him again. It was in a magazine
article that announced his wedding date had been changed, and he would be
getting married earlier than planned. In one week. My heart broke in places I
hadn’t even known existed. I asked for a few days off from work and locked
myself inside my apartment watching tearjerkers, eating popcorn, and stuffing
magazine photos of Nick into a shoebox.
I slid the cool bracelet from my wrist and placed it on top
of his smiling face in the box. He had probably already forgotten about it.
Here I was, thinking he cared. But he’d only bought the bracelet because he had
too much money and felt guilty.
The truth was, and it pained me to admit it, it could never
have worked between us. We were too different. He needed someone beautiful,
glamorous, and rich like him.
Someone without baggage.
A hot tear trickled onto my hand as I placed the lid on the
shoebox and shoved it inside my wardrobe. I’d never buy a magazine again. Or
watch TV. It would be torture to watch him marry Elizabeth—or any other woman.
I wanted to stay inside my apartment and never face the
world again. But I had to continue living, just like I promised Melisa I would
when I left Oasis. It would take a long time, but I’d get over him somehow.
I was now back on my feet. I had a wonderful job and a nice place
to stay. A life. I thanked Nick for that.
***
“I missed you. And not just
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